James McNay was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, on January 31, 1907. Between 1951 and 1953, he worked in the payroll department for Alcan. He had to leave his wife Effie and his two young daughters, Margaret and Diane, aged 6 and 5 in 1951, at home in Surrey, B.C., during his 3-4 month stints in Kitimat. To fill some of his free time and show his family where he was and what Kitimat was like, he spent many hours walking in the area with a 35mm Kodak camera. He photographed the scenic beauty of the area and parts of the construction of both the smelters and the town. He died in Surrey on August 7, 1983.
Custodial History
Donated by Margaret McNay. Images were taken by her father and sent to their family in Surrey in the 1950s.
Scope and Content
Slide showing opening to the Kitimat Yacht Club basin. Sailboats and the Alcan dock in the distance.
Photo showing view of Kitimat River Bridge looking west, east pier in foreground showing whalers in place with sheet piling driven to grade, in center: pier, and on right: two bearing piles driven to required bearing. On left, sixty foot pile in place for splicing, temporary bridge crew completing placing rock in pier.
Photo showing view of Kitimat River Bridge looking west, east pier in foreground showing whalers in place with sheet piling driven to grade, in center: pier, and on right: two bearing piles driven to required bearing. On left, sixty foot pile in place for splicing, temporary bridge crew completing placing rock in pier.
Photo showing smeltersite looking east showing progress of structural steel and aluminum cladding in potline 2 and concrete footings and pot recess flours in potline 1. Service Building, roofs are completed, substation and precast yard and storage in foreground.
Photo showing smeltersite looking east showing progress of structural steel and aluminum cladding in potline 2 and concrete footings and pot recess flours in potline 1. Service Building, roofs are completed, substation and precast yard and storage in foreground.
Book titled "Aluminum Company of Canada, Ltd. Employee Training Division Montreal Trainee Manual", with a dark green cover, and an image of an aluminum ingot in the centre. Includes a letter from P. E. Radley to Mr. W.S. Mosher, explaining that this manual was sent as a sort of "guidebook" for British Columbia Employees, instead of a tour of the Eastern Canada plants.
Book titled "Aluminum Company of Canada, Ltd. Employee Training Division Montreal Trainee Manual", with a dark green cover, and an image of an aluminum ingot in the centre. Includes a letter from P. E. Radley to Mr. W.S. Mosher, explaining that this manual was sent as a sort of "guidebook" for British Columbia Employees, instead of a tour of the Eastern Canada plants.
First alumina boat to discharge alumina for Alcan Smelter in Kitimat - arrived from Port Esquivel, Jamaica, in July 1954. Ship was named S.S. "Sun Karen".
First alumina boat to discharge alumina for Alcan Smelter in Kitimat - arrived from Port Esquivel, Jamaica, in July 1954. Ship was named S.S. "Sun Karen".
Photo showing Helge Ronneseth and Kurt Zeiner from Norway. Alcan employees who first heard of Kitimat from an early copy of the Northern Sentinel; arrived as crew members of S.S. Sun Karen
Photo showing Helge Ronneseth and Kurt Zeiner from Norway. Alcan employees who first heard of Kitimat from an early copy of the Northern Sentinel; arrived as crew members of S.S. Sun Karen
Aerial photo of the Kitimat river estuary showing Kitimat River, Kitimat Harbor, Minette Bay, and the Alcan company smelter site taken from the southwest looking northeast towards the Kitimat City Centre.
Aerial photo of the Kitimat river estuary showing Kitimat River, Kitimat Harbor, Minette Bay, and the Alcan company smelter site taken from the southwest looking northeast towards the Kitimat City Centre.
